Brake rigging for railroad cars



July 8 1924.

H. E.- ANDERSON BRAKE RIGGING Foa RAILROAD cARs Fi;ea Aug. 31, 1922 2 sheisfsheen 1 MMV my..

July 8 1924. 1,500,217

H. E. ANDERSON BRAKE RIGGING Fon RAILROAIS cAas Filed Aug. 31, 19;@.2 2 sheetfwsneer 2 F' .7 A

By 2&4; um@

Patented July 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES HARLEY E. ANDERSON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM PATENT OFFICE.

L. KELLOGG, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRAKE RIGGING FOR RAILROAD CARS.

Application led August 31, 1922.l Serial No. 585,480.

l T 0 all whom t may concern: t

Be it known that I, HARLEY E. ANDER- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefui Im rovement in Brake Rigging for Railroad ars, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. Y

My invent-ion relates to improvements in brake riggings for railroad cars.

Objects of my invention are to provide a brake rigging in which the slack in the brake chain of a hand-operated brake may be quickly taken up and the brakes applied, and the power of application then quickly and eiectively multiplied through the operation of an interposed device which, for convenience, I call a brake booster.

Another object is to provide a high power hand-operated brake mechanism. A further object is to provide a simple and eiiicient hand brake mechanism for railroad cars. Other objects will appear from the description of the invention hereinafter foliowing.

In the drawings forming a part of this speciiication, Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a railroad boX car body, broken away intermediate its upper and lower'portion showing a form of my invention as applied to a railroad car. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section, partly in side eievation, of the brake booster mechanism showing the parts in their normal position of full release. Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal section, partly in side elevation, showingthe same parts in full compression-thatis, with the brakes fully applied. F ig. 4 is a cross section, taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line of Fig. Q. Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line 6 6 of Fig; 2. Fig. .7 is a bottom plan view of the brake booster device. 8 is a detail perspective view showing the T-headed end of the brake rod. .fnd Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the yoke element which is one of the members of the brake booster device.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a freight boX car body broken away as will he observed at the numeral 11, having a brake staff 12 broken away at 13 vin Fig. 1 of the drawing, which-brake 'staff is of a usual design and 'secured to the'car in the usual way, having a brake wheel'14 and a brake chain 15. A brake rod is'indicated by the numeral 16, only one end being shown, the other end being designed to be attached to the brake equalizer lever, not shown, but in the usual manner as will be well understood.

The brake booster mechanism embodying a casting 18, which is suitably Aaffixed to the underside of the c ar floor, or the car under- 'frame, as may be desired, by any eiiicient means as, for instance, the lugs 19-*19 perforated as at 20 for the passage of bolts or other appropriate securing means. The housing member 18 is, Abroadly speaking, of an inverted trough shape, lbeing open below and at its ends and having an upper plate 521 provided along its length withva rack 22 having` downwardly `projecting teeth l23. Its side plates 24-24 are each provided with a longitudinally extending pin way or groove 25 and a yoke way or shoulder 26 which, in the'structure illustrated in the drawings, is formed by the integral brackets 33 depending from the side plates 24 of the housing member 18.

Vithin the housing member there ispmounted a yoke'27 open at its outer end and closed at its inner end by the cross member 28 which connects its two arms 919-29. The cross member is upon its inner face provided with a boss 30. As shown, it is integral with the cross member 28 of thev yoke and is perforated as at 31 for the passage of the brake rod 16, The varms 29 of the -yoke are perforated at their forwardV ends as at.

of the clevis 41 and the clevis pin 42 which is passed through the perforation 20. A block 43 is mounted between the arms 29-29 of the yoke 27, having on its outer lateral faces the grooves or ways 44-44 adapted to slide upon the beads 45-45 with which the inner lateral faces of the arms 29 of the yoke 27 are provided.V Thus, it will be observed that the yoke 27 is supported by the housing member 18 and that the block 43 is supported by the yoke 27. Near its inner end the blockV 43 is provided with a shoulder or spring seat 45, rearwardly of which a boss 46 extends. A spring 47 is mounted between the rear member 28 of the yoke 27 surrounding the boss 3() thereof, and the spring seat 45 upon the block 43 surrounding the boss 46 thereof, over-compression of which is prevented by the engagement of the bosses 46 and 30 respectively upon the block 43 and the yoke 27. as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Thus the said bosses 30 and 46 function as limiting stops, as will be readily understood. At its outer end the block 43 is vertically bifurcated, thus providing block arms 48-48 between which the lever 35 is adapted to be received, which most clearly appears from an examination of Figs. 7 and 2 of the drawings. The said block arms 48-48 are each provided with outwardly opening jaws 49 formed between the upper jaw members 50 and the lower jaw members 51. Within these jaws, or speaking of the structure as a whole, the jaw of the block member, the hubs 37, or, described as a whole, the hub of the lever 35 is adapted in normal position of the parts-that is, when the brakes are released, to be received. The lever 35 is at its hub end provided with a mutilated gear 52 comprising a plurality of teeth 53 53 Awhich are adapted in one positon of the lever 35 to engage with the teeth of the rack 22, and in other positions to be disengaged therefrom and to permit the entry of the hub of the lever into the jaws 49 of the block 43.

The lower jaw member of the yoke 5l is at its outer end upwardly inclined, as indicat ed at the numeral 54, which inclined face is rearwardly continued as at 55 substantially paralleling the face 56 of the upper jaw member 50. Intermediate these two parallel faces there is provided the vertical face 57 which is outwardly inclined as at 58, thus forming the inner wall of the jaw opening 49. The jaw faces liust described are arranged to conform to the hub structure 37 when the parts are in their normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 2 with the hub face 59 opposed to the jaw face 57, and the hub face 60 opposed to the jaw face 58. Thus the inner end of the hub member 37 is provided with Va plurality of faces angular to each other as, for instance, the faces 59 and 60, which are adapted upon the rotation of the lever 35 in a contra-clockwise direction to engage against the jaw faces described and to move the lever upon the engagement of its mu-` tilated gear 52 with the rack 22 outwardly in reference to the aws of the block 43 until, upon extreme movement, their positions will be substantially that illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The brake rod 32, whose passage through the rear end of the yoke has been described, also extends through a perforation 61 longitudinally arranged in the block 43, and is provided at its end with a member 62 which rests against a face 63 pro` vided at the rear end of the vertical slot between the block arms 48. The perforation in the block member, as well as the alined perforation 33 in the rear member of the yoke are elongated in one direction as, for instance, horizontally to permit the passage of the similarly elongated T-head 62 upon the end of the brake rod 32, which brake rod in its assembly with the other parts is passed therethrough and then rotated 90O to its operative position, as shown by the dotted lines 64 in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The foregoing description of the parts of the device will make its operation readily understood. their normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, with slack in the brake rigging, it will be apparent that as the brake staff 12 is rotated, and thereby through the chain l5 pull is exerted upon the free end of the lever 35, the entire assembly of partsthat is, the yoke 2', the block 43, the lever 35 Vand the spring 47 will move outwardly toward `the end of the car-that is, to the right in the drawing, pulling the brake rod 32 therewith andoperating upon the equalizer bar and other parts not shown applying the brakes. Thus far in the operation the lever 35 will not rotate by reason,`

among other things, of the engagement of its hub within the jaws of the block and the gear 52 thereof will. ride free of the rack 22. As this bodily movement of the parts continues the slack is taken out of the entire rigging and tension is exerted uponA the brake rod 32 and all of the brake shoes engaged against their wheels until the continued pull in the operation exerted through the operation of the brake staff, or other suitable means, is transmitted through the pin 34 to the yoke 27, thus compressing the spring- 47 between the yoke 27 and the block 43. During this operation the slack in the rigging is taken up quickly and at a comparatively low average ratio. As the continued application of power overcomes the expand.- ing pressure of the spring 47, the hub 37 will commence a withdrawal from the jaws of the block. When the spring 47 is fully compressedand the stops 46 and 30 upon the block 43, and the yoke 27 respectively, are in engagement with each other continued pull upon the free end of the lever 35 will rotate said lever about the pin 34 Assuming the parts to be in `until teeth 53 of the mutilated gear 52 upon said lever will engage with the rack 22.

When s0 engaged, the lever 35 will walk upon the rack 22 and pull the yoke 27 and the block 43 within it further to the right or toward the brake rod. In eiiecting this change in the relation of the parts, the hub 37 upon the lever 35 is rotated out of the jaws of the block 43, and it will be understood that whatever the conformation of the hub in reference to the jaws, it must be a conformation that will permit of this rotation and of the relative outward movement oi" the lever in reference to the block while the spring 47 is in full compression between its seats. When this position of the parts is assumed, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, a very much increased leverage ratio is obtained to pull the rod, thereby enabling the operator of the brakes to apply, through this increased leverage, a great pressure of the brake shoes upon the wheels of the car. It will be obvious that, by means io this booster, a quick take-up of the slack in the brake rigging parts may be effected, and that an automatic shift from the low leverage employed during take-up to a high leverage ratio will be immediately effected, permitting quick operation of the brakes and application of a very highy brake pressure upon the wheels of the car. On release of the brake chain the expanding of the spring will return the parts to their normal position.

Although I have herein shown and described what 1 now consider the preferred manner ot carrying out the invention, the

Vsame is merelyy illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modiications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto. Y

I claim zl, In a brake rigging, the combination with va brake chain and a brake rod; of a brake booster interposed therebetween said booster including a connecting lever between the rod and the chain and moving therewith when a comparatively low tension is upon the parts, and afulcrum for said lever extraneous of the rod and chain against which the lever isadapted to engage, which lever rotates between the rod and chain upon a comparatively higher tension of the parts.

2.v In a brake mechanism for railway cars, the combination with the brake shoes and a power applying mechanism; of a connecting mechanism therebetween, the said connecting mechanism having interposed intermediate its ends a lever rotatable in respect to the connecting mechanism; means for holding said lever against rotation under one tension of the -connecting mechanism;

Vmeans for permitting rotation under a higher tension of the mechanism; and a fulcrum for said lever adapted to be engaged ing means upon the housing and the lever,

et. In a brake mechanism, the combination of brake shoes and power applying means, and connections therebetween; of al brake booster mounted intermediate the ends ot' said connections. and including a lever and a block, said lever and block being interlocked upon a lower tension of the connecting link; a slidable connection between said lever and block; a fulcrum member for the lever disconnected with said lever under such tension and engaging the lever upon relative movement between the said lever and block.

In a brake mechanism, brake shoes,

POTW-1 pplying means, a yoke connected to "2' the brake shoes, a lever connected to the power applying means, a fulcrum member adapted to be engaged by the lever, a rotatable connection between the lever and the yoke, the lever being non-rotatable and mov` ing with the .yoke under a vcomparatively lower tension ot the parts andengaging with the ulcrum and rotatingin respect to the yoke under a higher tension of the parts. G. In a brake rigging for a railroad car, in combination, a housing secured to the ai', a yoke slidable therein, means adapted to connect said yoke to the'brake shoes, a lever rotatably mounted on said yoke, means adapted to connect said lever to power applying means, the yoke being provided with means to hold the lever against rotation upon a lower tension of the parts, the housing being provided with a rack and the lever wi h a gear, the said gear being adapted to rotate with the lever into engagement with the rack upon a higher tension of the parts. T. In a brake mechanism ter railroad cars, the combination with brake shoes and power applying means; of a brake rod connected to the brake shoes; a lever connected to the power e aplying means; a yoke; a block slidably mounted in said yoke, the said block being connected to the brake rod, t-he lever being rotatably connectedr to the yoke, the lever beingl in engagement with the block and slidable in reference thereto.

8. In a railroad car, in combination, a housing secured thereto, a yoke slidably mounted in said housing, a block slidably mounted in the yoke, a spring interposed between the yoke and the block, a lever rotatably mounted upon the yoke, said lever having means to secure it to power applying mechanism, the block having a brake rod connected thereto, the housing being provided with a rack, the lever having gears thereon, the lever being rotatable into disengagement with the rack and then sliding with the block, the said lever upon compression of the spring being rotatable and then engaging with the rack.

9. In a railroad ear, in combination, a housing secured to the car, a yoke slidably mounted therein, a block slidably mounted within the yoke, a lever rotatably connected to the yoke, the block being provided with means for connecting it to a brake rod, the lever being provided with means for connecting it to a power applying device, the housing having a rack, the lever being pro vided with a mutilated gear adapted to engage the said rack and also having a hub, the block having jaws adapted to receive said hub, the said lever being held against rotation by said block upon the application of a lesser power and then moving with said block in disengagement from the rack, and upon the application of a greater power the hub moving out of the jaws of said block and engaging the rack and said lever then engaging the rack.

10. In a railroad car, a housing associated therewith, a yoke within the housing, a block within the yoke, a lever rotatably connected to said yoke, the housing being provided with ways for the yoke, the block having a sliding connection with the yoke, the lever and housing being provided with inter-engaging means, the block and lever being also provided with inter-engaging means, the said lever when engaged to the block being disengaged from the rack, and when engaged to the rack being disengaged from its engaging means with the block.

11. In a brake mechanism, a brake booster comprising a housing, a yoke, a block, a lever and a spring, the housing having a rack and yoke ways, the yoke being received in said ways, the block being s-lidably connected to the yoke, the spring being mounted between the block and the yoke, the lever being pivotally connected to the yoke and having a gear for engaging it to the rack, the lever being also provided with a hub and the block having jaws to receive said hub, the lever being in disengagement from the rack when its hub is within the jaws of the block and engaging the rack when its hub is .withdrawn from the jaws of the block.

12. In a brake mechanism, a brake booster comprising a housing, a yoke slidably mounted in said housing, a block slidably mounted in said yoke, a spring interposed between the yoke and the block, a lever pivotally connected to said yoke, the block being bifureated for the receptionv Vof the lever therein, the block having jaws and the lever having a hub adapted to enter said jaws, the housing having a rack and the lever having teeth adapted to engage the rack, the levers hub being within the blocks jaws when the spring is expanded, and upon compression ot the spring engaging the rack and rotating its hub outside the said jaws.

13'. In a brake mechanism, a brake booster com risinga housing,`a yoke, a spring, a bloc r, a lever and a pin, the housing being provided with a rack and with yoke ways and with key ways, the yoke being received in said` oke ways an adapted to slide therein, tli'e block being provided with ways, and the yoke having beads entering said ways, thel spring being mounted between the yoke and the block, the said yoke and block being each provided with stops to limit the compression of the spring, the pin passing through the yoke and the lever and entering at its ends the key way of the housing, the lever being provided withk teeth to engage the rack of the housing, and Aalso having a hub, the block being provided with a transverse opening to receive the hub, and a ver tical slot to receive the lever, the said hub being within thetransverse opening of the `block when the levers teeth are disengaged from the housing rack, and the hub being withdrawn therefrom when the levers teeth are in engagement with the housing rack.

14. In a railroad car, a brake rigging having, in combination with a brake rod,a power applying means, a housing secured to the oar, a yoke, a block, a lever, a spring and a pin, the housing having a top and side, its top being provided with a rack and its sides being provided with a yoke' way anda pin way, the yoke being received within the yoke way, the block being slidably mounted within the yoke, the spring being interposed between the yoke and the block, the pin passing through the yoke and the lever and being received at its ends within the pin way of its housing, the block being provided with a vertical slot for the reception of the lever, the lever having a hub thereon and the block being provided with a transverse slot for the reception of said hub, the power applying means being connected to the said lever,

Vthe brake rod being connected to the block,

whereby upon the application of the power applying 'means to the lever the lever and block movey together while the spring is being compressed, and upon compression of the spring the hub of the' lever is withdrawn from the block and rotates into engagement with the rack of the housing.

15.` In a brake rigging for railroad cars, the combination with brake shoes; of a brake rod connected therewith; of power aplll plying means inthe car, a housing secured to said car, a yoke slidably mounted in said housing, a block slidably mounted in said housing, a spring interposed between the said block and yoke and a lever, the lever being rotatably connected to the yoke, the housing and yoke having inter-engaging means, the block and lever having inter-engaging means, the power applying ineans be ingconnected to the lever and during its initial movement compressing the spring while the lever and the block are engaged, and upon its Yfurther movement, rotating the lcvcr into disengagement from the block and engaging it with the housing. n

l5. In a brake rigging, in combination, a brake rod, a block connected thereto, a lever, a yoke connected thereto, a housing, a

spring, and a power applying means, the "latter being connected to the lever, the housing supporting the yoke, the spring being interposed between thev yoke and the block, the spring holding the block in engagement with the lever, the yoke withdrawing the lever from the block when the power applied compresses the spring to a predetermined point. v

17. In a brake rigging, in combination, a brake rod, a lever, a pairdof spring pressed members connecting the lever and the brake rod; power applying means connected to the lever, and the lever entering into locking engagement with one of said members when the spring is expanded, and unlocking therefrom and rotating in respect'to the other member when the spring is compressed.

18. In a brake rigging for cars, in combination, a car body, a brake rod, a lever fulcruming upon the car body; power applying i means connected to the lever; a spring connection between the brake rod and the lever, a lever locking member associated with the spring, said member holding the lever disengaged from its fulcrum until the power applying means effects a predetermined compression of the spring. y

19. In a brake rigging, cars having a brake rod and power applying means, a lever connected to the power applying means, a spring connection between said lever and the brake rod, limiting stops for said spring, means holding said lever inoperable as a lever until the stops limit the compression of the springs.

20. In a brake booster, having a brake rod, power applying means and a power multiplying lever interposed therebetween, the combination therewith of a locking block for said lever, the said locking block having means holding the lever inactive as a lever until a predetermined power is applied through the power applying means.

21. In a brake rigging for railroad cars, in combination, a car body, a housing secured thereto, a yoke slidable therein, a block slidable in reference to the yoke, a brake rod connected to the block, power applying means, a lever connected thereto and associated with the yoke, the yoke and block being perforated, the brake rod passing through said perforations and having'a head engaging it to the block.

In a brake rigging, a sliding yoke, a

housing therefor, a brake rod, a slidable.

block associated with the yoke and connected to the brake rod, a spring' between said block and the lyoke, a lever rotatably connected to the yoke, means locking the lever to the block in normal position of the spring, the lever disengaging from its locked position, fulcruining on the housing and rot-ating in reference to the yoke on compression of the spring. v

23. In a railroad car, the combination with the car body of al housing secured thereto, a yoke, a block, a pin,va spring, a. rod, and power applying means, the housing being provided with means for supporting the yoke, and having a rack and keyways, the block being slidably supported by the yoke, and having a jaw and a lever slot, the pin passing through the yoke and entering the key ways of the housing, the spring beinginterposed between the block and the yoke. the brake rod being connected to the block, the power applying means being connected lto the lever, the lever having a hub entering the jaws of the 'block and resting within the slot of the block in normal position, the lever being also provided with teeth, the yoke upon pull of the power applying means moving forwardly and the lock moving therein in the same direction and at a slower rate while the spring is being compressed, the hub of the lever withdrawing from the jaw of the block on a determinate compression of the spring, the lever thereupon rotating on the pin and engaging its teeth upon the rack of the casing.

24. In a railroad car, the combination with a brake equalizer, power applying means and a lever; of a stationary housing secured to the car, a yoke slidable therein. a member slidable in reference to the yoke, means connecting said member to the brake equalizer, means connecting the lever to the power applying means, the lever sliding with the yoke on the application of certain power and being rotatable in reference to the yoke and having a fulcrum engagement with the housing on the application of greater power.

25. In a brake booster, in combination, a housing, a slidable yoke and a slidable block associated therewith, a spring interposed between the yoke and block, a lever engaging the block and sliding therewith, a brake rod connected to the block, power applying means connected to the lever, the lever locking with the block in a lesser separating pull between it and the block, and disengaging therefrom and having a fulcrum engagement with the housing on a greater separating pull between the block and leverl 26. In a brake mechanism, the Combination with power applying means; of connecting means between said power applying means and the brake shoes, said second named means including a pull-link and a power multiplying lever connected therewith or movement angularly relatively thereto to multiply the power, interengaging means on said lever and link operating to prevent angular movement thereof and adapt-ed to become disengaged when a predetermined resistance is offered to the movement of said link thereby, permitting angular movement of thevlever and effecting multiplication of the applied power.

27. In a hand brake, the combination with power applying means; of means operatively connecting said power applying means with the brake mechanism proper, including a power multiplying lever and a device for limiting the lever to movement of translation during a predetermined portion of the brake tightening operation, said device being rendered inoperative upon engagement of the brake shoes with the wheels whereby said lever is permitted to swing and multiply the power.

28. In a hand brake, the combination with a pulling mechanism; of a power multiplying mechanism connected therewith, said last named mechanism including a lever through which the entire pulling force is transmitted, a link pivotally connected to the lever and to the brake mechanism proper, and means for locking said lever against pivotal movement relative to said link, said means being adapted to yield and release said lever when the parts are subjected to a predetermined tension.

29. In a hand brake, the combination with means for exerting a pull; of a power multiplying mechanism operatively connected to said means, said mechanism including a lever having swinging movement and movement of translation; and means for preventing swinging movement of said lever, said means being rendered inoperative when the parts are subjected to a predetermined tension to permit swinging movement of the lever and effect multiplication of the applied power 30. In a brake rigging, a pulling mechanism, said mechanism including a pivoted and bodily movable lever mechanism, means for rendering said lever mechanism in-operative under a relatively low power pull, and automatically rendering said lever mechan nism operative under a high power pull.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of August, 1922.

HARLEY E. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

P. M. MERRICK, ANN BAKER. 

